The Role of Animals in Elementary Education: A Pilot Study.

Abstract

Interviews with twenty teachers in elementary schools indicated thirteen had used animals in their classrooms. Hampsters, gerbils, and fish were the most frequently used species. Seven teachers kept animals primarily for observation and pleasure. Other uses included teaching responsibility, sex education, and biological experiments. Three teachers had drawn on published background information for educational uses of animals, and five had consulted animal care books for care and feeding. Potential zoonotic disease transmission was considered by two teachers. Non-use of animals was attributed to the lack of published teacher guides, the potential for increased personal liability due to animal bites and zoonotic disease transmission, the lack of knowledge for care and feeding, mess/odor, and the problem of animal care during holidays. (Author)

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 1978
Accession Number
ADA061479

Entities

People

  • Daniel A. Denoon

Organizations

  • Air Force Institute of Technology

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Animals
  • Biological Sciences
  • Biology
  • Birds
  • Education
  • Health
  • Human Behavior
  • Instructors
  • Learning
  • Literature
  • Materials
  • New York
  • Pilot Studies
  • Public Health
  • Rodents
  • Students
  • Zoonotic Diseases

Readers

  • Educational Psychology
  • Infectious Disease/Epidemiology
  • STEM Education